You can listed to audio highlights from Mike's program below.
Mike interviews CFA Operations Officer Rohan Luke.
Mike was born at an early age and as a youngster dreamed of becoming a fireman, but instead he chose a different career path and decided to put out fires in the competitive world of advertising.
However, his childhood dream of becoming a fireman has since become a reality.
Mike became a CFA volunteer soon after he and wife Anne moved to Woodend more than ten years ago, when he realised he knew very little about living in one of the ‘world's most dangerous bushfire areas', and to also become involved in the local community. "
Mike is currently 1st Lieutenant with Woodend CFA and has used his media skills to help spread CFA messages. He is a strong advocate of ‘community engagement’ and believes that community awareness and education is equally as important as ‘putting the wet stuff on the hot stuff!”
He didn’t have a childhood dream of becoming a radio presenter, but that has now also become a reality. About 12 months ago he had the idea of presenting a CFA ‘community safety’ program on Highlands FM, as another opportunity to present important safety messages to the Macedon Ranges community.
Highlands FM management thought this was an excellent idea, and were looking for a new presenter for the Community Matters program at the time. It was decided to combine the best of both worlds.
Mike has been presenting Community Matters on Highlands FM for nearly 12 months now, and has been able to combine his important CFA safety messages as part of the program platform of presenting Community News every Wednesday from 10am to noon, and repeated at 10pm to midnight.
The concept of the program is cover stories and people that ‘matter to the community’, and Community Matters now has an impressive and interesting group of guests who come on the program on a regular basis. These include MPs Donna Petrovich and Joanne Duncan, Macedon Ranges Shire Mayor Henry McLaughlin, MRSC managers including Anne-Louise Lindner, Danielle Phyland and Leanne Davey, CFA Operations Officer Rohan Luke, Jacky Ogeil from Duneira and Woodend Winter Arts Festival, Fiona Corke from the Macedon Ranges Wildlife Network, Donna Cooper from the Cambodian Kids Foundation, representatives from the Neighbourhood Houses around the Ranges, Lions Clubs in Kyneton and Woodend, and inspiring disabilty pioneer Ryan Jans.
In fact, in the past 12 months, Mike has conducted over 150 interviews on the weekly program, including the above regulars as well as a wide range of other fascinating people from the region.
The program is also an outlet for community news and events that occur during the year, along with information about regular markets, an ‘on this day’ segment covering events, birthdays and deaths, and he also plays hit songs that were number one ‘on this day’ in years past. It all adds up to a busy and interesting 2 hour program.
Another innovation the team at Highlands FM are working on, is to integrate regular live crosses to Mike at the CFA on days of Total Fire Ban as an opportunity to present the very latest ‘fire updates’ in real time.
As well as being a CFA volunteer and Highlands FM presenter, Mike still runs his own successful advertising agency.
In fact, he is one of Australia's most highly regarded (and awarded) creative people, and at various times occupied the post of Creative Director at several multi-national advertising agencies, where he has been responsible for many icons of Australian advertising. He has also worked overseas with stints in London, New York, Jakarta, Hong Kong and Singapore.
His most recognised campaign was the launch of ‘Oh what a feeling' for Toyota some 25 years ago, and he has also won many awards including a Gold Lion at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival for one of his commercials.
Mike started his own advertising agency over 20 years ago, and recently relocated the business to Woodend. His wife Anne also runs the shop ‘Zappa-do’ in Woodend.
In what spare time he has, Mike looks after his Woodend property and menagerie, and is writing the definitive history of the automobile entitled ‘The AutoBiography'.
Subscribe to this comment's feed
